Garden Center at Wappingers Falls #1207

Celebrate Springtime Gardening
It's time to start thinking of spring. Sweep the gazebo to prepare for warmer temperatures, sprouts poking up out of the ground, and fragrant breezes. Planting seeds indoors with grow lights means you're ready to transplant spring annuals and young veggie plants when the ground thaws and the frosts are through. You might even want to plant seeds directly into the soil. What better way to start than by exploring your favorite local plant nursery?

Plant Hardiness Zones Explained
The first thing to learn when planting vegetables, spring flowers, and other seeds is your planting zone. Every location in the U.S. and its territories is sorted by climate. Find your zone on the USDA zone map and learn when to plant flower bulbs and seeds.

For example, you could transplant bell peppers outdoors in mid-March in Zone 10, but not until the end of May in Zone 4. The plants that'll thrive in your area are in your zone — plus all the zones numbered less than that. In other words, a Zone 8 garden can support plants listed as Zones 1–8. You can plant seeds indoors roughly a month before you can plant them outside, known as direct sow. Always read your seed envelope for details. If you start them later than recommended, it's not ideal, but it should even out as time passes.

Gardening in New England
In Zone 5, which includes parts of Pennsylvania as well as Vermont, upstate New York, New Hampshire, and southern Maine, your best bets for veggies will be root vegetables like carrots and beets, leafy greens including lettuce, and cruciferous veggies like cabbage and kale. You can try squash, but prepare for additional warming upkeep when late frost is forecast. Planting dates are roughly mid-March through May 1st, depending on whether you're starting your seeds indoors or directly sowing them into your garden.

Much of Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, Connecticut, New Jersey, southern New York state, and Massachusetts are in Zone 6, so planting can begin earlier there than farther north. Parts of Virginia are even warmer, coming in at Zone 7. The outdoor growing season doesn't begin until mid-March or even April, although you can plant some veggie seeds halfway through February. Tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, onions, and other classic garden crops will do well in this region, and most of them can get an early start indoors before spring really moves in.

Plant Seeds In Your Garden With Direct Sow
Direct sow, or planting seeds directly into outdoor garden soil, is another way of gardening. If you prefer to go with the flow, follow the instructions on your seed package. Direct sow timeframes are later than indoor planting because the soil must be warm enough.

There's more variation with seed survival with direct sow. Your seedlings need to survive storms and hungry critters, weather too much rain or sun, and obtain proper nutrition. Be ready to deal with whatever nature gives you. If you're lucky, you'll get strong sprouts that are ready to grow.

Start Seeds Indoors
You can gain the satisfaction of growing your garden from seeds and save money by starting them indoors in your own plant nursery. We've got all the seed starter supplies you'll need. For best results, you'll want grow lights and heat mats to go with your nursery pots. If you're planting a larger garden, use seed trays — like the ones you see sprouts in at your nearest garden center — to stay organized and plant tiny soil plugs when the time comes. You can also use pots with potting soil and seed starter mix.

Measure your finger to use it as a ruler. In general, you'll press 3–5 seeds into the soil at the proper depth. Mark where you planted the seeds with a plant tag or toothpick. That way, you'll know where your seeds should pop up. Otherwise, it'll be a surprise when the sprouts push out of the soil.

Watch Over Your Sprouts
When your sprouts aren't ready to go outside, you can still prepare them for outdoor life. These micro-seedlings are fragile — only an inch or so high, with the tiniest seedling leaf or two — but they're resilient. Seedlings don't get all this pampering in nature, so they can handle more than you think. However, your sprouts are still babies, so don't go overboard. You can even use an oscillating fan on low to strengthen their stems by mimicking the wind.

Harden The Seedlings
Once your seedlings are a few inches tall, start hardening them off. This is a process of gradually introducing them to the outdoors, strengthening them in the long run. Hardening means your sprouts and seedlings are less likely to die during a sudden cold snap.

Transplant Young Plants Into Your Garden
In quality soil, dig a hole that's bigger than or the same size as your plant's dirt plug. Place your transplant in the ground, and fill any extra space with nutrient-rich topsoil. Apply fertilizer if desired inside the plant hole before planting or on top of the dirt, then water it well without overdoing it. Never apply more fertilizer than recommended, as too much could kill the plant. Consider putting up chicken wire or other protective measures if deer, squirrels, rabbits, or chipmunks visit your yard regularly, as your sprouts may otherwise become a snack.

Protect Your Garden With Mulch
Nourish your garden bed with compost and mulch. Compost enriches the soil so your garden can grow even better. Mulch keeps your soil from drying out and controls weeds. It may help foster stronger plants that bear more fruit and flowers. Mulch and compost can be DIY creations, but you can also purchase them in-store. The next time you're searching for "mulch near me," stop by the Garden Center to get the correct amount.

Greet the Spring
Don't miss a minute of growing season. Plan your landscaping and garden, prepare to fertilize your lawn, and browse your nearest plant nursery to find inspiration on which spring flowers to plant when the weather warms. For those without lawns, consider adding an outdoor rug, artificial grass, or a pellet grill to your balcony. Shop for the soil, fertilizer, and seeds you need in the aisles of your Wappingers Falls Garden Center, online, or on our mobile app. Let's get growing together.